About Us
Who We Are
My name is Gloria Heusser and I am a wife, mother, Oconee County native, and previous Montessori school teacher. I grew up in Montessori principles, being born to a Montessori educator and attending a private Montessori school for my early school years. I graduated from Athens Technical College with a certificate as a Special Events Specialist and a teaching certificate in Early Childhood Education, not knowing that I would someday utilize both to operate a play studio. I taught at a Montessori school for 16 years, both in the Toddler and Primary classrooms, and loved every minute of it. My husband, Justin, and I are blessed with two beautiful daughters, Caroline and Olivia, as well as a sweet German Pointer/Beagle mix, Pepper. We absolutely love our community in Watkinsville, GA and cannot wait to meet you!
Why We’re Here
We have known for quite some time that our area needs more places for children to play. However, as we’ve been navigating our youngest daughter’s journey with Autism, we’ve come to realize that the need is not only a place for children to have fun, but a place that is sensory-inclusive for kids with sensory processing challenges. Our daughter enjoys sensory-seeking experiences (such as swinging, spinning, lights, fun sounds, and interesting textures). She is, however, sensitive to large crowds and loud sounds, and sometimes just simply needs a social break. We were constantly looking for a place that could be fun and exciting when she needed it to be fun and exciting, but also have an area to break away from the noise and commotion. She needed a place that would accommodate her handstands, but also provide a comfy place to read a book. We needed a place to host sensory-sensitive birthday parties, that understood that her needs may change on a dime. Thus came the birth of The Meadow Montessori Play Studio!
What Make Us Different
The Meadow Montessori Play Studio is an indoor play center offering Open Play, birthday parties, and workshops for children of all abilities and is catered to toddler-aged through early elementary. The studio is intentionally made accessible and inviting to children with sensory processing challenges. Our primary objective is to offer enriching play experience in a space that is designed to be both fun and comfortable. The Meadow is composed of a combination of the Montessori Method and the Scandinavian approach to education and design.
The founder of the Montessori Method, Maria Montessori, believed that children learn best through independent, self-directed play in order to foster a love of learning and develop autonomy. The Montessori Method also places an emphasis on collaborative play in a mixed-age environment, allowing for younger children to learn from older children, as well as allowing them to reinforce their knowledge by teaching others. To facilitate these objectives, the studio contains Montessori-based play equipment and materials in an open environment.
While The Meadow Montessori Play Studio is intended to be a fun and engaging space for all children, we consciously made the studio a welcoming place for children with sensory processing challenges. To make this possible, the studio’s aesthetic is rooted in the Scandinavian approach to design along with the purposeful use of sensory stimulating materials. The use of Scandinavian design and educational philosophies, which uses simplistic aesthetics, harmonious color palettes, and sustainable materials, is deliberate. Research has shown that spaces which have fewer distractions and include the use of nature or natural materials help to improve children’s focus, improve mood and self-esteem, and have a calming effect on children prone to sensory overload.